Silage aid containing sodium,calcium and magnesium phosphates



United States Patent 3,443,956 SILAGE AID CONTAINING SODIUM, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM PHOSPHATES Frank H. Muller, Zugspitzstr. 106a, Vaterstetten, Germany and Carl Clemente, Marktplatz, Altenmarkt (Alz), Germany No Drawing. Filed July 11, 1966, Ser. No. 563,973 Claims priority, application Germany, July 17, 1965, M 66,000 Int. Cl. A23k 3/02 US. Cl. 99-8 10 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A silage aid having fodder aiding properties, and also supplying the animals physiological requirements containing calcium, sodium, and magnesium phosphates to provide the proportions Ca:Na=l:0.9 to 1.3, CazMg =l:0.5 to 0.65 and Ca: P =l.0 to 4.5.

In the modern silage industry the addition of silage containing green fodder plays an important roll. While one can manage with corn, beet leaves and other starchy plants for the most part without the addition of silage helping means, the addition of such silage means is indispensable for fermentation of difficulty 'fermentable fodder plants, such as meadow grass, clover, pasture grass, Landsberger mixture and alfalfa.

As silage helping means there are employed materials of very different chemical composition such as AIV acid (a mixture of dilute hydrochloric acid and dilute sulfuric acid), sodium meta bisulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, formic acid, formates mixed with nitrites, Nisin (anantibiotic for butyric acid bacteria) and sugar or molasses. The manner of action of these materials is separated into three groups.

For a good silage it is necessary to ferment a part of the plant juice glucose with lactic acid bacteria into lactic acid. This is the true, physiologically harmless preserving agent. The optimum growing conditions for lactic acid bacteria are anaerobic conditions (CO atmosphere), a high hydrogen ion concentration (pH of 3.5 to 4.5) and an adequate supply of nutrients.

With AIV acid and formic acid a favorable pH should be reached. The sulfites, nitrites and antibiotics favor germ inhibiting properties and hinder the growth of bad bacteria such as butyric acid bacteria, putrefactive bacteria and coli anaerogenes types, which compete with the lactic acid bacteria for the nutrients. Sugar containing supplements raise from the beginning the amount of fermentable saccharides so that the lactic acid baceteria have the optimum growing conditions.

Of the named silage aids only the formic acid and above all the sugar containing materials are indifferent to the animal physiology. Therefore the literature also describes phosphates as additives to silage means. The efiicacy of amidosulfonic acids should be improved for example through admixture of primary calcium phosphate or dicalcium phosphate; monochloroacetic acid should have good silaging properties with mono, di or tri calcium phosphate. Acidic sodium phosphate-sulfate mixed salts, for example NaH (PO 3NaHSO in addition to sodium hemi phosphate NaH (PO are described as silage means.

Acid phosphates alone have also been proposed as silaging means. Mixtures of primary and secondary phosphates (aqueous NaH PO -l-aqueous Na HPO or aqueous NaH PO (NHQ HPQ or aqueous Ca(H PO -l-aque- 3,443,956 Patented May 13, 1969 ous CaHPO, should, through buffering, introduce into the silage an especially favorable hydrogen ion concentration for lactic acid bacteria. Primary alkali or alkaline earth phosphates are described as good silage means. Examples of suitable phosphates are calcium phosphate, magnesium phosphate, sodium phosphate, ammonium phosphate and urea phosphate. The nutrient content of the fodder is especially improved by the addition of mono and diammonium phosphate and/or urea phosphate. These silage mixtures contain especially important mineral salts for animal feeding, for example calcium-f-phosphorus or sodium+phosphorus or magnesium+phosphorus. It is known, however, that for an adequate mineral supply not only individual elements such as sodium+phosphorus or calciurn+phosphorus or nitrogen+phosphorus are necessary, but that optimum returns (milk, meat) are only reached, if the animals obtain all the necessary elements and ions in the right proportions. The minerals available in the fodder plants correspond, with the exception of potassium, in the same case to the requirements of animals. There must therefore be added to the raw fodder and to the silage minerals which contain Na, P, Ca, Mg, Cl and S0,, to name only the most important elements or ions. Therefore it has been proposed for a long time to add to the silo fodder a mixture of dicalcium phosphate, limestone, sodium chloride and the most important trace elements Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and I in order to raise the fodder value of the silage. The mixture should be prepared in such amounts that the following element proportion result; Ca:Na: 1:0.5; Ca:Mg =1:=0.1 and Ca:P*=l:0.5 to 0.7. A preserving action is permitted by these proportions and by not allowing the mixture to reach neutral or alkaline reaction conditions.

It has now been found, that mixtures which contain in common the primary phosphates of sodium, calcium and magnesium and, if necessary, also contain-primary ammonium phosphate and are then adapted according to the invention to the entire determined Ca:Na-, CazMgand Ca:P-proportions of animal physiological requirements, are excellent silage aiding means. The silage means according to the invention has the proportions of Ca:Na 1:0.9 to 1.3, Ca:Mg=1:0.5 to 0.65 and Ca:P==l:1.0 to 4.5.

Through admixing of a mixture of sodium, calcium and magnesium salts, for example NaCl, OaCO and MgSO the limits of the proportions of cations to phosphorus, e.g., Ca:P, likewise be varied between wider limits, without the silaging properties of the salt mixture suffering. In place of CaCO there can be used calcium salts of organic acids, for example, calcium formate, calcium acetate or calcium lactate. In order to create favorable starting conditions for lactic acid bacteria according to a special form of the invention there are provided sugar and/or starch containing additives. For the silaging of high starch containing plants (corn for example) this can be added in place of the sugar urea, ammonium sulfate, primary ammonium phosphate or other nitrogen containing compounds, and the albumin-starch proportions improved during the silage. Additionally the single mixture of the necessary trace elements can be added.

These silage assisting means in solid form are preferably thoroughly mixed with the green fodder plants during the filling of the silo, but they can also be added as a fluid emulsion. The most favorable animal physiology is obtained by incorporating the mineral content to the most important fodder plants to provide a silage means with the proportions Ca:Na=l:0.9 to 1.3; Ca:Mg=1:0.5 to 0.65 and Ca:P=1:l to 2.3.

Unless otherwise indicated all proportions are by weight.

Below are given five examples of base mixtures. Base mixtures 1 and 2 are equally good as silaging means and are preferred.

EXAMPLE 1 Proportions Base Mixture Ca Na Mg P 34% NBHgPO4-2H5O 33% Ca(H:POr):-Hz 1.0 0. 9 0.57 4.3 33% Mg(H;PO4);-2H1O The phosphorus content of the mixture was 5.2% calculated as P 0 EXAMPLE 2 Proportions Base Mixture N a Mg The phosphorus content of the mixture was 36% calculated as P 0 12% OM00 38% MgSOr-HrO As already mentioned above, these examples optionally can be expanded. Base mixtures 3 to 5 have essentially the desired proportions of Ca:Na:Mg. The anions can be changed as long as they are physiologically acceptable.

The desired CazP proportions can be obtained through mixtures of base mixture 1 or 2 with 3, 4 or 5. As already mentioned, base mixtures 1 and 2 are very good silage assisting means. With the mixtures (1) the salt mixture can be better proportioned and (2) the nutrient proportions can be better shaped. In the following Table 1 there are illustrated possible examples of mixtures of base mixtures 1 and 3.

7 As an optional mineral composition according to the invention there can be added to any of the examples in Table 1 1% of a trace element combination of the following composition:

Grams FeSO 16 CuSO -5H O 4 MnSO 4 l Ammonium molybdate 0.5 KI 0.1

The following six examples chosen at random illustrate the use of the above mentioned mixtures for making silage assisting means.

SILAGE MIXTURE 1 Proportions, percent Ca Na Mg 1? P205 20% NaH2PO4-2H2O 1% trace elements- SILAGE MIXTURE 2 Proportions, percent Ca Na Mg P P20 15% NaH2PO4-2H20 1% trace elements There was employed base mixtures 1 and 3 in the proportions 50:50. The pH Was 4.6.

9% CaCOz 6% Ca(OOCH)1 21% MgSOrHzO. 10% sugar 1% trace elements There was employed base mixtures 1 and 5 in the proportions 40:60. The pH was 4.4.

SILAGE MIXTURE 4 There was used a mixture of 60% base mixture 1 and 40% base mixture 3. The proportions of the elements were Ca, 1; Na, 1.1; Mg, 0.6; P, 1.8; P 0 31.2% The pH was 4.7.

SILAGE MIXTURE 5 This mixture was base mixture 1 and had a pH of 3.4.

SILAGE MIXTURE 6 Proportions, percent Ca Na Mg P P205 11% NQHzPO 4-2H20 12% Ca(H2PO4)z-H20 The pH was 4.6.

With these six silage mixtures according to the inven tion (identified as SM 1 to SM 6 hereinafter) experiments were carried out with meadow grass, Landsberger mixture and corn. As comparative silage means there were used AIV acid, sodium meta bisulfite, sugar, NaH PO -2H O and a mixture of 90% NaH PO -2H O willingly taken and is easily digestible. The proposed silage assisting agents build a unity with the fodder plants. While useful cattle very frequently refuse mineral additives to fodder, it has been observed that with the above described silage aids of the invention no difficulties are encountered +10% (NHQ HPQ; (as a buffer). 5 in feeding the thus supplemented fodder to animals which TABLE 2.MEADOW GRASS Percent of the total acid Point accord- Lactic Acetic Butyric ing to Additive acid acid 2.0 Flieg pH Valuation Blank 28.6 20.2 45.2 23 5.8 Fair. 1% sugar 42.4 56.4 1.2 61 5.0 Good. 0.4% AIV 31.9 50.2 17.9 38 4.8 Fair. 0.4% NaiSiO5 47.4 38.9 13.7 56 5.1 Satisfactory. 0.4% NaHzPO 50.5 40.2 9.3 01 5.5 Good. 0.4% buffer 17.7 82.3 50 6.0 Satisfactory. 0.4% SM1 50.4 47.3 2.3 00 5.0 Good. 04% SM2 07.3 32.7 92 5.3 Very good. 0.4% SM 3 54.8 44.8 0 4 73 5.2 Good. 0.4% SM 4 72.3 27.7 96 4.9 Very good. 0.4% SM5 81.3 18.7 100 4.5 Do.

TABLE 3.LANDSBERGER MIXTURE Percent of the total acid Point accord- Lactie Acetic Butyric ing to Additive acid acid acid Flieg pH Valuation 20.5 35.1 44.4 5.7 Bad. 27.0 50.1 22.3 32 4.9 Fair. 36.6 46.5 16.9 44 5.2 Satisfactory. 53.7 40.2 1.1 77 4.8 Good. 42.7 57.3 07 5.3 Do. 24.0 70.9 4.2 39 0.1 Fair. 50.3 41.3 2.4 71 4.7 Good. 53.4 40.2 0.4 77 5.1 Do. 01.1 37.3 1.0 79 5.0 Do. 62.3 37.7 87 4.8 Very good. 73.3 20.2 90 4.7 Do.

TABLE 4.CORN

Percent of the total acid Point accord- Lactic Acetic Butyric ing to Additive acid acid acid Flieg pH Valuation Blank 32.5 48.2 19.3 37 5.5 Fair. 0.5% AIV 30.3 53.8 9.4 47 4.0 Satisfactory. 0.5% Nazszoau 540 41.8 3.0 03 5.1 Good. 0.5% SM0 02.3 37.1 0.0 32 5.0 Very good.

From the tests it is evident that silage mixtures 4 and would otherwise have a deficient amount of minerals in 5 (SM 4 and SM 5) in every case have better properties the feed. than the silage agents used at present, such as primary 50 The production of the silage assisting means of the insodium phosphate or a buffer mixture of primary sodium vention can be accomplished in several ways and is likephosphate and secondary ammonium phosphate. The silage wise the subject of the present invention: mixtures 1, 2 and 3 for the most part silage better and (1) The phosphoric acid industry at present prepares even at worst, equally good. The prominent action which mono phosphate in sufficiently pure form for the purpose is evident is that with the proposed mixtures of the invenof fodder. The mixture can accordingly be produced tion not only is the best hydrogen ion concentration prothrough admixing the individual components. duced, but also the lactic acid bacteria equally are of- (2) It is more economical, however, to make base fered optimum mineral proportions. mixture 1 or 2 from tricalcium phosphate by a process The action is further improved if in place of 0.5%, according to the following overall equation: the supplement amount is raised to 1 to 2%. In regard to animal physiology the proposed silage assisting means C +6H SO 6CaSO +4H PO of the invention are superior to mineral fodder agents. 3( 4)-2+2H SO 2CaSO +Ca(H PO Besides the silage or raw fodder there should be em- 2 4+ 0 N H PO +H SO ployed the above compositions of the invention in an MgSO +2H PO4:Mg(H PO +H SO amount of 100 to 200 grams per animal per day as fodder, 3c 0, noorderttto obtain optimum production of milk or meat 8CaSO +Ca(11 1 0 +2N H PO -+M (H PO r in ca e.

One gives milch cows 10 to 15 kilograms of silage fod- In place of tricalcium phosphate there can also be used der each day in winter. By the addition of 1 to 2% of the apatite. In all cases it is necessary during the manufacture silage mixture of the present invention the fodder con- 7 according to known methods to remove toxic impurities tains 100 to 300 grams of mineral substances Ca, Na, Mg and P in the average proportions of 1:l:0.6:1 to 2.3. Thereby the animals obtain these mineral substances in proportions and amounts which are the best possible supplements to the fodder plants and in a form which is such as fluorine, arsenic or chromium from the crude phosphate starting material.

For silage mixtures which contain mono ammonium phosphate there can be added to the above sketched processes ammonium sulfate.

In the above overall equation there is shown in schematic fashion the production of Water free monophosphates. Through changing the molar proportions and the water of crystallization content of the individual salts it is possible to make up the proportions Ca:Na:Mg:P in wider ranges. For the silage agent it is best, as mentioned, to use the proportions:

Ca:P=1:-4.00 to 5.00 Ca:Na=l:0.90 to 1.30 Ca:Mg=l:0.5O to 0.65

This monophosphate mixture, that for corn silage also contains mono ammonium phosphate, as pointed out, is a very good silage assisting means. Without deteriorating the silaging properties the rest of the constituents can be added in a mixture.

The thus produced silage assisting agents are neither unstable, nor especially hygroscopic or corrosive, so that they are easy to handle and can be brought into the silo container according to customary processes. The otherwise customary, diflicult and burdensome mixing of finished silo fodder with the mineral salts is completely eliminated by use of the silage aid of the invention.

We claim:

1. A silage aid containing alkali and alkaline earth phosphates, said silage aid also having fodder aiding properties, and also supplying the animals physiological requirements, comprising sodium, calcium and magnesium phosphates to provide the proportions Ca:Na=l:09 to 1.3; Ca:Mg=1:0.5 to 0.65 and Ca:P=l:1.0 to 4.5.

2. Silage containing the silage aid of claim 1.

3. Silage according to claim 2 wherein the silage aid is employed in an amount of 0.4 to 2%.

4. A silage aid according to claim 1 also including amm'onium phosphate.

5. Corn silage containing the silage aid of claim 4.

6. A silage aid according to claim 1 also including trace elements.

7. Silage containing the silage aid of claim 1 and having a pH of 4.5 to 5.3, said silage being further characterized by having a butyric acid content of not over 2.4% based on the total of lactic acid, acetic acid and butyric acid, the lactic acid being in excess of the acetic acid.

8. A silage aid according to claim 1 wherein the proportion of Ca:-P=1 :1 to 2.3.

9. Silage containing the silage aid of claim 1, trace elements and sugar.

10. Silage containing the silage aid of claim 1, trace elements and urea.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 4/1944 Haskell et a1. 998 12/1961 Locuratolo 992 US. Cl. X.R. 9948, 2 

